


The Bluest of Blues

by JenniM777



Series: Klance AU Month [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-05
Updated: 2019-02-05
Packaged: 2019-10-22 18:19:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17667686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JenniM777/pseuds/JenniM777
Summary: Prompt: Klance AU -day 3 mermaid





	The Bluest of Blues

Keith was used to being shunned. He was used to being turned away. He was used to being alone. But no matter how many times it happened, it still hurt. So he learned to toughen up his fins. He let the words slide right off his scales, let the others say what they wanted, and when it got to be too much he moved on.

The problem wasn’t necessarily Keith, the problem was his scales. Keith was considered an oddity, a bad omen, a load of trouble that the pods wouldn’t put up with. In the underwater kingdom, black wasn’t an unusual color unless you were a mermaid or merman. But technically Keith’s scales weren’t black, they were red. They were a dark red that was often mistaken for black and no matter how many times he explained this no one ever listened to him. And because black scales on the merfolk was considered bad, Keith was blamed every time humans came too close to their dwellings, or when the young guppies swam too far out and got tangled in nets. Keith was always the bad influence. So he learned to stay away from pods, to drift alone with no pod family of his own.

Today being on his own caused a whole mess of problems because he was in trouble, and being on his own meant no one was going to come look for him, no one would be worried about him, no one would come to help him out. No matter how much he twisted he couldn’t seem to get loose. His tail was bent at an odd angle and he had a large gash on his back and probably another one on the left side of his forehead if the throbbing he felt was any indication and his vision was going spotty.  From the looks of things he was tangled in a fishing net and the tide was receding. He would be beached and the sun was already starting to wear him down.  He knew it was only a matter of time before humans found him. Things just couldn’t possibly get any worse.

And then they did…..

Hours later Keith began to panic. He had been out in the sun for hours unable to dip below the surface and he felt his scales starting to dry out. Even though he could breathe out of water, merfolk weren’t meant to for prolonged periods of time and Keith had been above water for far too long. He heard the distinct sound of a boat. Boats meant humans. Humans meant death, not that it matter much now because he was pretty much dead from his predicament. And then suddenly he thought he caught a flash of something but he blinked and there was nothing.

Keith was losing it. He was dying and he was seeing things. He stared off to where the sun was starting to sink when he saw it again. This time he was sure he saw a flash of blue flip above the water. He kept his eyes trained on the spot hoping for another glimpse. He was almost certain it was another Mer.

Several minutes later and Keith knew whatever he saw wouldn’t matter. The boat was getting closer and whoever or whatever was out there would never make it in time. He was completely beached and he was now struggling to breathe. He still kept his eyes trained on the horizon hoping for once last glimpse of a tail, sparkling scales, a fin, anything that would make him feel less alone for once in his life before it was over. He blinked as a few tears fell from his eyes.  He hated this, he never wanted to be alone, and now he was going to die alone as well.

Something was moving nearby. Keith slowly opened his eyes, shocked that he wasn’t dead yet. If he had any strength left in him he would have jumped away because there in front of him was a pair of blue eyes the color of the sky on a clear cold winter day. “Come on! I need you to move. I know you’re in bad shape but we don’t have much time. Please!”

Keith’s eyes darted back and forth taking in the sight before him. It was a merman. His tail was the same brilliant blue as his eyes and he was frantically sloshing water over Keith’s own tail and scales in an attempt to help him.

His vision was suddenly void of his saving grace and Keith let out a distressed sound. A voice from behind him put him slightly at ease, his savior hadn’t left him yet, “I’m here, I’m not leaving you ok? I just need to move you just a bit to get you in the water some more. We’re almost there.”  


Keith wanted to help, he really did. He hated feeling so useless but he had no strength and he knew he lost a lot of blood. His eyes tried to follow the movement around him and he couldn’t help the nervous chittering when he lost sight of the stranger. “Ok buddy. Ok. I know I told you I’m not going anywhere but you’re pretty hurt and panicked so I’m just gonna keep talking so you can hear me at all times ok? So anyway my name is Lance. I would ask for yours but you need to save your energy and no talking. It’s no big deal.”

Keith had to give it to Lance, the talking would have grated on his nerves any other day but in his distressed state the constant chatter helped to keep his nerves somewhat calm. He wasn’t sure what happened to the boat with the humans but he was fairly certain that it sounded further away. He felt Lance shift him to grab under his arm and pull when he let out a scream of pain. Lance placed a hand over Keith’s mouth and whipped his head around. “Shh! Hush! I’m sorry, I’m sorry! Please be quiet. If they hear you we’re both gonna die! I’m sorry!”

Keith was vaguely aware of hands smoothing his hair back. Lance seemed just as nervous as he was about the humans so it must have been a subconscious from of self-soothing just as much as it was to soothe Keith. “Ok, ok, I don’t think they heard us. Listen, I know you’re in pain but I have to move you. It’s the only way to get you back into the water ok? I think I can manage with one more big tug but it’s gonna hurt and I need you to be as quiet as possible ok? You can thrash at me when you’re healed for hurting you but I need to know you understand what I’m saying. Just a small nod or something ok? I’m going to get you in the water I promise, but you gotta keep as quiet as possible. Can you do that?”

Keith stared into those blue eyes. He was so tired but he knew Lance was trying to help so he mustered up the little bit of energy he had and gave a small nod. He felt Lance let out a breath and felt him shifting around. “Ok, good. I’m just gonna give you one good tug and that should do it. I’m gonna count to three and that’ll be it. You ready?” Before Keith could even prepare himself for the count, Lance gave gripped Keith tightly around his chest and heaved with all his might successfully submerging them both in the water. Keith inhaled deeply to let the water flow through his gills and promptly passes out.

~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~

Weeks later and Keith has completely healed. He’s been surrounded non-stop by Lance’s family and a pod that doesn’t comment on his dark scales or look down on him like he’s a bottom feeder. It’s refreshing, but Keith doesn’t do well with the change. He’s been alone for too long, pushed away by other mer people for something he couldn’t help. And so these past few weeks he’s been quiet, subdued, shrunken in on himself instead of angry and defensive. He hasn’t been able to move about much. Lance’s mama was relentless in making sure Keith didn’t do anything to aggravate his injuries. So in that time the only thing Keith was able to do was scavenge the ocean floor with Lance’s niece and nephew. He’s found several shells, some sea glass, a few shiny baubles from shipwrecks, a couple of oysters and a few other things that occupies his thoughts, aside from the blue eyes that haunt his every other waking thoughts.

For the first time that Keith can remember he doesn’t want to leave a pod. But there’s an itch under his skin and he has to go, he feels that need to be on his own, feels the need to protect himself from the inevitable rejection that’s soon to happen. He has a bag slung around his neck with his few belongings and he’s trying to slip away unnoticed when he hears Lance’s voice, “Were you even going to tell me good-bye?”

He turns to see Lance’s blue eyes filled with hurt. He didn’t want to see him because he knew it would be too hard. Keith swallows hard, “I knew you would try to stop me.” Lance flicks his tail behind him, “Would that be such a bad thing?”

Keith just shrugs, “probably.”

Lance doesn’t say anything else. Keith turns to leave when he stops and reaches into the small bag he carries until he finds something. He swims back to Lance and grabs his hand, “I never got to thank you for saving me but it meant a lot that you never gave up even though you didn’t even know me.

Before Lance had time to respond Keith pressed a quick kiss to his cheek and swam off. He never saw the flush on Lance’s skin or the hand that he pressed to his cheek where Keith had kissed him. He never saw Lance open his hand to stare at the piece of sea glass the color of Lance’s eyes smoothed and polished until it shown just as bright.

~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~

Days later and Keith could honestly say he didn’t travel very far. The truth was he was haunted by a boy with blue eyes and scales the color of the clearest waters. He only stayed in a small hidden hollow less than a day’s swim from the pod that took care of him.  And every couple of days before anyone was awake, Keith would swim back and rummage in his bag and place a token for Lance to find. He would quickly swim out of sight and wait to see Lance’s reaction every time.

He knew if he had stayed, his actions would have been considered that of courting, but he wasn’t brave enough to stay or to find out if Lance returned his affections. His heart fluttered with hope every time Lance found one of his tokens and his eyes would dart around searching for the gift giver.

Keith had thought he was being careful, thought no one had seen him but after a couple of weeks he was leaving another gift when a voice came from behind and startled him, “He misses you.”

Keith gave a yelp and turned to find Lance’s mama watching him. “I…I wasn’t…I was just leaving.” He watched as she sat on a nearby rock. She gave a quiet hmmm and nodded as if agreeing with Keith, “you’ve been leaving for the past month and yet you never seem to get very far do you?”

Keith blushed and looked away. How could he tell her that it was best if he didn’t stay? How could he tell her that he knew it was only a matter of time before something bad happened and they blamed him because his red scales were so dark they looked black and he would be considered bad luck? How could he stay so attached to this wonderful family when they would push him away just like all the others before?

Keith hadn’t realized his eyes were closed until he felt warm hands on his cheeks wiping away tears. His shoulders trembled and his breath shuddered when Mrs. McClain spoke, “I don’t know who treated you so horribly that you haven’t been able to feel safe, but you are safe here sweetheart. No one is going to hurt you or push you away.” Keith looked up to find a soft smile and kind eyes staring back at him. His voice broke when he finally spoke, “it’s because I’m bad luck. My scales aren’t the right color and it causes bad things to happen. I can’t stay, I can’t let you or your family get hurt. I can’t let Lance….”

Mrs. McClain pulled Keith into her arms, “Is that what you’ve been told? That your scales are the reason bad things happen? Utter nonsense. No wonder you don’t know where you belong. You belong where you are loved sweetheart. No one here will ever judge you for something you have no control over. Your scales are part of you and you are beautiful.” Keith fell apart at those words. He had never had someone hold him and tell him he was loved.

He must have fallen asleep at some point because he woke up in the small room he had stayed in to heal from his injuries when Lance had found him. He didn’t try to sneak away but he did swim to the surface to think on some things. He was breached the surface and faced the sun, head tilted up and eyes closed. He wasn’t surprised to hear the soft splash of water as Lance surfaced next to him. He reached a hand to the side and tentatively wrapped his pinky around Lance’s pinky, “I’m sorry.” Lance didn’t say anything; he just let his fingers shift to brush Keith’s fingertips.  They stayed that way watching the sun sink lower and lower until it just touched the edge of the water. Keith reached up with his free hand to finger the pouch around his neck. “I’m not good with words or with feelings. I’ve been pushed away from one pod after another. I don’t know how to feel anything other than angry most of the time because of that.”  


Lance let out a soft sigh, “You left me gifts.” Keith nodded, “I did.”

Keith felt as Lance turned to face him. He could feel his eyes studying him, looking for something. Keith finally turned to face Lance knowing he deserved Keith’s honesty. “Did you mean for them to be just gifts or something more?” “I want them to be whatever you want. If you don’t want anything other than friendship I will be happy with that.”

Keith watched as Lance tilted his head and narrowed his eyes at Keith, “are you staying?”

Keith couldn’t hold Lance’s gaze any longer. He dipped his head and lowered his eyes. “I want to stay, but I’ve never had some place where I’m wanted. I’ve never had a reason to stay in one place before.”

Keith felt the water push up against his chest as Lance moved closer. His fingers intertwined with Keith’s and he tilted Keith’s chin up until he was forced to look at Lance. “Make me your reason.”

Keith blinked, “I don’t understand.” “You said you’ve never had a reason to stay anywhere before. Make me your reason Keith. Stay for me. I want you to stay, I want your gifts to mean more, I want to make you feel wanted. So stay for me.”

For the second time that day Keith found himself overwhelmed with emotion. His eyes were closed but he felt Lance press their foreheads together, and then their noses were touching, their lips were almost touching and Keith could feel them move when Lance spoke, his voice softer than the whisper of waves around them, “Stay for me. Stay with me Keith.”

Keith tilted his head and felt the softest brush of lips against his as he whispered back, “Yes.”

Keith felt Lance press his lips firmly to his and even though his eyes were closed he could see the sky erupt into a brilliant symphony of pinks and purples as the sun started to dip below the horizon. They stayed there, hands in hair, splayed on broad shoulders, fingers tracing patterns on strong backs, feather light touches on arms, kissing until the sky was dotted with a million stars.


End file.
